Hear from execs at The New York Times, Thomson Reuters, Trusted Media Brands and many others
This research is based on unique data collected from our proprietary audience of publisher, agency, brand and tech insiders. It’s available to Digiday+ members. More from the series →
In February, publishers braced themselves for a tough quarter ahead. Now, reality is beginning to emerge.
A Digiday Research survey of 127 publishers found that 52% of publishers missed their first-quarter numbers. About 23% managed to exceed their forecasts, while 25% hit them.
Publishers are bracing for a worse second-quarter: 80% have lowered forecasts.
Back in March, Digiday Research found that 88% of the publishing executives surveyed expected to miss business goals for the entire year. About 85% of them expected to see a decline in ad revenue, 79% in event revenue and 68% in commerce revenue.
It’s been an especially tough time for news publishers: 59% of them said they missed their forecasts in the first quarter, and 19% of them exceeded it.
As for the second quarter, only 1% have raised their forecast, while a whopping 70% have lowered it.
Advertisers continue to be reluctant to spend any money on ads alongside coronavirus content. A prior Digiday survey found that 40% of brands are not advertising next to coronavirus-related news online, up slightly from the same survey conducted a month ago, when 37% said they will not buy ads alongside coronavirus-related content.
More in Media
What talent booker Joanna Jordan can teach about leading in media transformation
Whether it was Netflix transforming to content powerhouse or a Hollywood labor disputes fueling the creator economy, Jordan has found herself ahead of the curve.
Nielsen’s RealEyes partnership offers an outcomes measurement solution
Nielsen announced the first of a few moves toward determining outcomes in media consumption, as the industry aims to get a better idea of what advertising actually works rather than just whether viewers saw the ads
Dotdash Meredith’s rebrand to People Inc. formalizes a post-search media strategy
Dotdash Meredith’s (DDM) rebrand to People Inc. reorients the company around its flagship publication, and is the start of a more concerted effort to grow the publisher’s core titles.